New platform to assist the recently unemployed

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According to Stats SA’s Wave 2 survey on the impact of Covid-19 on employment and income in South Africa, 8.1% of respondents reported that they lost their jobs or had to close their businesses and 1.4% became unemployed during lockdown.

In this extremely uncertain time, 21st Century believes that corporates are duty-bound to prove that their employees are more than just capital. When the reality of retrenchment hits, a show of support to those affected is needed now more than ever.

Losing a job can be extremely traumatic. But the vast majority of those who find themselves recently or imminently jobless are forced to put their feelings of loss and panic aside to focus on the immediate urgency of finding work.

I Got Hired is a platform that empowers job seekers to make the job-hunting process seamless. For employers having to initiate retrenchment proceedings, I Got Hired is also a cost effective but powerful way to offer support to outgoing staff, as it shows a tangible commitment to the welfare of both previous and current employees.

I Got Hired creates a framework for affected employees, built on a proven job search process and focused on a platform for preparation and planning. The platform helps make the experience less painful, providing a tool that can effectively position these job seekers for future employment opportunities.

"At this stage, organisations are not generally in a position to provide extremely expensive outplacement programmes, but still feel a need to support the people they have to let go. Offering I Got Hired as part of the off-boarding package can help those facing the retrenchment process and map out a pathway to their next position in a structured, constructive way," says Belinda O’Regan, Organisational Psychologist and consultant on the development of I Got Hired and Executive Consultant at 21st Century.

"During a state of distress, people find that they cannot focus on the important details of the job search process," O’Regan continues. "The result is an ad hoc, unprofessional approach in many cases making the jobseeker less attractive in the market. I Got Hired consolidates all the practical tools needed to support the person through this process at a difficult time in their lives. These include job 'campaign' planning processes, a document library, professional document templates, social media management and even budgeting tools."

As Covid-19 takes its toll on the country’s economy, 21st Century believes that corporates must accept responsibility for supporting their staff members beyond retrenchment.

Craig Raath, Executive Director at 21st Century, says, "If your staff are facing retrenchment, helping them make sense of it all during this difficult time potentially offers them a glimmer of hope, by assisting them with a subscription to the platform, and by equipping them to make themselves more employable and boosting their confidence as they begin their job-hunting journey once more. Parting ways with your employees is never an easy process. But you can certainly make it less painful."

To find out more, visit www.21century.co.za / I Got Hired